Swimming Baths: A memory of Loughborough

Swimming Baths

A Memory of Loughborough.

In my final year at Mountfields we were led up to the swimming baths in a long crocodile to be taught how to swim, if we couldn't already. I'd just about learnt to swim the previous summer holiday in Wales, but it felt much easier (& a lot warmer) in the swimming pool. The changing areas were quite primitive.
Some of us used to go swimming here on Wednesday afternoon when I was at Loughborough Grammar School (when we worked Saturday mornings, but not Wednesday afternoons).

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Added 22 December 2013

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In the 1950's, from the age of about 9, my friend Marylin and I, sometimes my brother too, used to go to the Swimming Club which was once or twice a week in the evening. There were ladies who stood on the side of the pool, teaching us to swim breast stroke, which was the first stroke we learnt. They held one end of a rope which was attached to canvas around our chests, and they pulled us in towards the side as we swam. We then learnt to swim without the rope support, and had a star to sew onto our "bathers" for a width and a sitting dive. Later there were other stars and we also learnt life-saving back stroke. On the way home from the baths we stopped off at the fish and chip shop - near Bedford Square I think - where we could get chips and a penn'orth of "batter bits" to accompany our walk home back up Park Rd.

By Elizabeth Amber on Sat May 8th 2021, at 1:28 am

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